Arthur mullan



No. 623,6l5. Patented Apr. 25, I899.

A. MULLAN.

RUNWAY FOB LOADING VESSELS.

(Application filed Dec. 80, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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ARTHUR MULLAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BLACK DIAMOND COAL MINING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

RUNWAY FOR LOADING VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,615, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed December 30, 1898. Serial No. 700,753. (No model-l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- ARTHUR MULLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Runways for Loading Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in runways for loading vessels, the object of my invention being to provide a device of this character which shall be simple in operation and inexpensive in construction and which shall be so constructed and arranged as to facilitate the discharge of coal or other material from carts on a wharf into the holds of vessels lying at the side of the wharf, whatever be the stage of the tide or the height of the vessel relatively to the wharf, and also into vessels of various constructions which could with difficulty be loaded from the stationary slipways and other apparatus heretofore in use-vessels, for instance, in which the roof of the house of the vessel overhangs the gangway in which are the dumping-holes for the material to be discharged.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts for the above purpose hereinafter fully specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the rear portion of the runway in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the whole. Fig. 3 is a view of the extreme rear end of the runway with the dumping-chock and dumping-board lifted off, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the runway.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents in y improved runway, comprising side beams 2, connected by joists 3, upon which are laid side planks 4 and central planks 5. The side beams 4 rise slightly above the surface of the side planks 4 and the latter above the central planks 5; but upon said central planks are secured the transverse cleats 6. Said cleats furnish a firm foothold for the horse, while the side planks furnish a smooth runningsurface for the wheels of the cart. The side beams 2 extend below the level of the planks 4c 5 and are tied underneath said planks by the iron rods or lies 7. The runway is carried on wheels 8, mounted on an axle 9, said axle passing between the beams 2 and underneath the planks 4: 5. At the front of the runway the side beams are beveled off at the bottom edge, as shown at 10, so that the lower front edges of the planks 4 5 rest upon the ground.

The cleats do not extend the whole length of the runway, but a smooth space 11 is left at the rear end, from which coal or other material can be readily shoveled to clean up a loading.

The side beams 2 project beyond the runway proper, formed of the planks 4 5, so as to form two horns 12, the runway proper being closed at the rear end by a dump-chock 13. The advantage of the construction of the horns is that in loading a vessel having stanchions along the rail to support the overhanging roof of the house the horns 12 can be inserted between the stanchions and will prevent side movement of the runway relatively to the dumping-hole. On the inner sides of the horns are secured downwardlyinclined supports 14, adapted to hold between said hornsa dumping-board 15, which directs the material to the dumping-hole in the gangway or deck of the vessel.

The dump-chock 13 is provided on its lower edge with dowel-pins 17, which are normally inserted in apertures 18 in the ends of the runway. This construction enables the dumpcho'ck to be removed when desired and replaced by an ordinary chute having its edge substantially flush with the surface of the runway proper.

The runway may be run out a considerable distance over the edge of the wharf, as shown in Fig. 1, an arrow 22, marked on its edge, indicatin g the point of the runway which should come over the stringer at the edge of the wharf. This position allows the runway to project over the rail of a vessel, so that the coal or other material can be conveniently discharged from carts into the dumping-hole in the deck or gangway of the vessel. In case the dumping-hole is at too great a distance from the edge of the wharf to permit this to be done the runway may be run out to the desired distance and its rear end supported by tackle from the throat-halyards of the ship, said tackle engaging eyebolts 24 in the ends of the beams 2.

If the vessel is high in the water, the end of the runway will rest on the rail of the vessel,

whereas if the vessel is low the end-of the runway will rest either on wedges on the stringer, as shown at 25 in Fig. 1, or 011 the stringer itself, in which case the front end of the runway will tip up after the cart has backed onto it as far as the dump-chock, and the wheels will then be chocked to prevent movement of the runway.

28 are footways on each side of the runway, behind the wheels,to permit the driver to walk when backing his horse thereon.

After coal or other material has been dumped in one place the runway can be attached to the tail of the cart by means of eyes 28 on its sides near the front end and can readily be transported to any other place where it is desired to use the same.

The device is of especial utility as a substitute for the stationary slipways heretofore in use. Such slipways project from the edge of a wharf, so as to overhang the deck of a vessel; but they are expensive in construction and inconvenient and useless under many circumstances of tide and load where my device can be readily employed. Furthermore, my

device admits of material being loaded onto a vessel at any point of the wharf, so that the cart can be brought to the vessel instead of bringing the vessel to the cart at a particular spot on the wharf.

I claim- 1. A movable runway, mounted on wheels, and having a dump-chock at its rear end, side beams extending beyond said dump-chock, supports on the projecting ends of said beams, and a downwardly-inchned dumping-board supported on said supports, substantially as described.

2. A movable runway, mounted on wheels, and having a dump-chock at its rear end, side beams extending beyond said dump-chock, a footway, carried by the rear portion of a side beam, supports on the projecting ends of the side beams,and a downWardly-inclined dum p ing-board supported on said support substantially as described.

A movable runway, mounted on wheels, and having a removable dump-chock at its rear end, side beams extending beyond said dump-chock, supports on the projecting ends of said beams, a removable downwardly-inclined dumping-board supported on said supports, eyes secured to its rear end for supporting said end by tackle from a ship, and eyes secured to its front end for attaching the runway to the dumping-cart to transfer the same, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witncsses.

ARTHUR MULLAN.

\Vi tn csses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, CHAS. W. SMYTH. 

